


I Love You A Latte

by Xyl



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista Peeta, Coffee Shops, Customer Cato, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 11:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9723902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xyl/pseuds/Xyl
Summary: Every day Cato comes to the coffee shop where Peeta works. He hates coffee.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you enjoy this quick thing that I wrote.

Peeta’s been making this same drink at least once, if not twice a day, for several weeks now, and has yet to see its’ owner. He knows the order by name; anytime he hears or sees the name: Cato, the order instantly pops into the forefront of his mind

Venti. Black. Six Shots. 

Whoever it was must crave death. 

That or they got really bad sleep.

Anyways, he always ended up making the order whenever he was on shift, but for some reason or another he missed the face the drink belonged to. At first it was just another drink in the never ending onslaught of orders, but since it had started occurring so frequently he desperately wanted to know who kept ordering it, if only to put his curious mind at piece. He had started calling this ‘Cato’ (Who knew if that was actually his name?) The Phantom Drinker. 

Creative name, he knew.

Peeta would call out the name, place it on the counter, and turn his back for a second…. 

And the drink disappeared!

At least the Phantom Drinker was a good tipper though. They always left a good amount of money in it’s place.

Also it was routine now. He’d come in, roast the beans, restock, and start filling orders and before even halfway through his shift; The Phantom Drinker came, went, and left their tip. 

So it was a really startling day when they never showed.

He’d actually started preparing their drink in advance, that’s how good he got at predicting their arrival. And now the Phantom had ‘disappeared’. 

He knew that it was a pretty dumb, and ridiculous thing to get himself worked up about, but it was one of those small weird things that got him through the day. 

Like sometimes when he was working the register or looking at customers in the shop he’d start imagining backstories for them all.

The older woman who came in every Thursday, ordered a croissant and stared out the window? She was waiting for her long lost love to meet her again. They had agreed to meet here after he left his wife for her, but he never came.

Or the homeless looking man who stumbled drunk every morning? He used to be part of a secret branch of the government, and now the weight of his secrets drove him to drinking himself into a stupor.

Ridiculous. But when he was in here practically all day making drink after drink after drink it helped.

His closing manager must have known he was upset and stopped cleaning the espresso machine to come talk to him.

“What’s up Peeta? You look down, did another customer yell at you about our cups?” 

They had recently taken their snowflakes off their holiday cups, and a day didn’t go by when someone didn’t complain.

“No…” Peeta said unfocused on the conversation, “I mean yes, someone did complain about the cups, but that’s not why I’m upset.”

“Ohhh. I see.” Annie replied her voice sounding suggestive. “Your mystery man didn’t show up today.”

“My what?” Peeta shot back, tearing his gaze away from the door.

“Don’t act like it’s not obvious Peet, that blonde hunk of yours’ comes in here everyday, and it’s definitely not for the coffee.” She said this while waggling her eyebrows at him.

“Wait you’ve seen him?!”

“Uh.. yeah?”

“Oh my god. First he’s not not ‘mine’. But second… you have to tell me everything.” Peeta leaned over grabbing Annie by the arm.

“There’s not much to tell, he’s tall, blonde, amazingly attractive, and he stares at you everytime he comes in here.”

“He- what?” Peeta stammered blushing a little at this last part.

“Yeah, how you could have not noticed this, day after day, for weeks now is beyond me. But he’s always in here and his eyes just sort of have this intense focus that follow you.”

“Pfft.” Peeta huffed blowing the last part of her statement off. “I’ve never even met this guy why would he be watching me?”

“Well either he’s a stalker, or he thinks you’re hot.”

“I doubt it,” He said shaking his head. “But seeing as how he didn’t show today he’s probably found some other barista from another coffee shop to stare at.” Peeta said this while sighing and holding his head in his hands.

“Hey don’t say that,” Annie bumped her hip against his lightly. “There isn’t a barista in the world cuter looking than you.” She said this last part lightly poking him in the nose.

“Thanks Annie, I appreciate it, but it’s too late. He’s gone forever.” Peeta threw his hand up over his head pretending to be dramatic.

“If he knows what’s good for him he’ll be back,” She said this while shaking her fist in the air.

“Yeah or what?” Peeta replied laughing good naturedly.

“Or he’ll never drink another hot beverage in this town again!”

“Thanks Annie.”

“You’re welcome. Please go clean the bathrooms now.”

Peeta was just finishing up the women’s bathroom when he heard Annie shouting to him from the rest of the store.

He got up and leaned outside the door and saw her near the front door putting her coat on.

“Hey Peet! Finnick’s here for me so I’ll need you to finish up for me tonight. After you finish the bathroom I just need you to check the money total and then you’re good to go. That fine?”

“Yes, I suppose.” Peeta said sighing as he leaned against the doorframe. “Just leave me all alone, in a sad, empty, coffee shop. Having gone a day without a visit from my secret admirer, while you happily leave and get to go home with the guy you’re in a happy and fulfilling relationship with.”

“Thanks! You’re the best! See you tomorrow!” Annie waved before cheerily heading out the door, and making sure it was locked before she departed.

“Jerk.”

Peeta finished cleaning up the women’s bathroom and did a once-over of the shop to make sure everything was clean and in its place before he settled in behind the counter to count the money from the registers and making sure they matched the amount they were supposed to have.

He was just writing down the final totals for the day when he heard a loud banging at the door.

“We’re closed!” He shouted without looking up from the paper.

The banging continued.

“It’s 11 PM! You’ll have to come back tomorrow morning for coffee like everyone else!” He shouted once more.

Even more furious this time.

Peeta dropped his pen on the counter. Clenched his fists. Unclenched them. Took a deep breath. “How many times do I have to tell you to go away!” He finally looked up to see the annoying customer and stopped.

Tall, blonde, and amazingly attractive?

Was this? 

“Cato?”

The annoying customer, Cato apparently, waved back.

He got up from the counter and went over and opened the door, he shivered a little at the blast of cold air, and looked up into the eyes of his mystery man.

“Hi.”

“Hey, I’m sorry to be bothering you so late, I mean I can tell you’re closed I’m not like an idiot it’s just that-” He stopped mid ramble to look at Peeta who was staring a bit awestruck.

“What is it?” Cato asked looking down at Peeta intensely.

“Oh. Um nothing.” Peeta said feeling a little cowed to actually be standing here and talking to his secret admirer.

“Okay. Well. Um. Sorry to bother you. I just thought I’d check if you were still open and then I saw you inside and I just-” He offered this falling short once more.

“Yeah sorry I’m just closing the shop I can’t really make anything for you right now.” Peeta said this lamely, now looking anywhere but the door.

“Yeah. That’s fine. I’ll… just.. be going now.” He said this gesturing outside towards the parking lot before leaving and letting the door shut.

Great job Mellark. Tall, blonde, and handsome walks up and you scare him away!

Wait a minute.

Peeta dashed behind the counter grabbing the drink he had prepared earlier before running outside.

“Wait! Hey!” He was running and shouting while wildly waving his free arm to get his attention before he drove away.

Cato popped open the door and leaned out to look at Peeta quizzically.

“I. forgot. I made. Your drink earlier. But you didn’t show up.” He said this between breaths, he was winded just from that short run across the parking lot. He finally caught his breath before making eye contact finally and continuing. 

“You come in practically at the same time everyday, so I started preparing it in advance, but you didn’t show up tod-” 

He was interrupted as Cato got out and grabbed him by the waist, pulling him close before leaning over to kiss him.

The kiss was quick, but it shocked him and gave his senses a jolt before he quickly closed his eyes and gave into it. His lips were soft and smooth and he forgot quite where he was before they broke apart and he was staring up into Cato’s eyes.

“Wow…” Peeta breathed.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”

“Well what took you so long?” He said this quietly looking up at his eyes.

“I could never quite get a certain barista’s attention.” He said this while lowering his eyes to meet Peeta’s.

“Well you have it now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Uh I hope that you liked this really short story. The goal is to post other oneshots/chapters of pre-existing stories this week for Valentine's Day.
> 
> We'll see how that goes.


End file.
